Combined advertising device and stationery-dispensing cabinet.



. P. B. MULGRBW. COMBINED ADVERTISING DEVICE AND STATIONERY msrgmsmeCABINET. APPLICATION FILED FEB.6,1912.

.104951 L Patented Jan. 7, 19 13.

FELIX B. MULGREW, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

COMBINED ADVERTISING DEVICE AND STATIONERY-DISPENSING CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan.7,1913.

Application filed February 6, 1912. serial No. 675,891.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FELIX B. MULGREW, acitizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of SanFrancisco and State of California, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Combined Advertising Devices and Stationery-DispensingCabinets, of which the following is a specification.

The hereinafter described invention relates to a new and usefuladvertising device and dispensing cabinet for stationery and envelops,and one which is particularly adapted for placing on the counter or inother convenient places in hotels or the like, where stationery isprovided free to guests, thus relieving the clerk of the unnecessarytrouble of giving stationery to each guest, and at the same timereducing to a minimum the expense caused by the waste of stationery,when it is dispensed in great quantities to guests.

The invention has for its principal object to provide a cabinet dividedinto adjustable compartments for respectively containing writing paperand envelope, each compartment having an independent automatic feeddevice for presenting the envelops and sheets of writing paper forwithdrawal from the respective compartments one at a time.

The improved device comprises a suitable cabinet having a fiat top anddownwardly beveled side walls adapted to display suitable advertisingmatter, the interior of said cabinet being divided into paper andenvelop compartments adjustable in size and having openings at the endsof the compartments between the top of the cabinet and;

the upper edges of the end walls, the openings being of a size toaccommodate a single sheet of paper or an envelop, and means within eachcompartment for projecting the topmost envelop or sheet of papercontained therein through said opening.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointedout in the claim hereto appended; it being understood: that variouschanges in the form, proportion, size and minor details of constructionmay be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

To fully comprehend the invention, reference should be had to theaccompanying sheet of drawings forming a part of this application, anddisclosing a complete constructed device for carrying out the invention,wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved cabinet, showingthe advertisements carried thereby, and one of the delivery slots. Fig.2 is a longitudinal sectional view, disclosing the adjustablecompartment partitions, the adjustable springpressed follower plates,the curvature of the upper edges of the front and rear walls of eachcompartment, and the slots through which the paper and envelops areprojected. Fig. is a detail view of one of the springpressed followerplates, disclosing the adjusting mechanism for the same. Fig. 4 is a topplan view of my device with the cover removed, disclosing the top platesfor the respective compartments.

Referring more particularly to the draw ings, the reference numeral 1designates my improved cabinet, constructed of any suitable material,preferably glass, and provided with a flat top and bottom and downwardlybeveled side walls, said top and side walls adapted to displayadvertisements in any suitable manner.

The interior of the cabinet is preferably oblong in shape, and isprovided with vertical side walls 2' and vertical end walls 3, the endwalls being slightly curved outwardly at their upper ends, as at 4,forming an overhanging'lip 4: at each end of the cabinet, and is dividedtransversely of its length by adjustable partitions 5 and 6, thusproviding a writing paper compartment 7, and an envelop compartment 8.The partitions 5 and 6 are provided at their opposite ends with flanges9, which extend into vertically extending grooves 10 arranged in theinner face of the side walls 2. The upper ends of the partitions arecurved outwardly toward their respective ends of the cabinet, as at 11and 12, the curvature of the partitions being of the same are as thecurvature 4 of the end walls 3. By providing adjustable partitions 5 and6, 1t will be observed that the paper compartment 7 and the envelopcompartment 8 may be adjusted independently of each other to accommodatestationery of different sizes. The compartments 7 and 8 are eachprovided with coverplates 13 and 14, the inner ends of which rest on theupper flat edge of their respective partitions, and the outer endsterminate at apoint parallel with the outer edge of the lip 4, but arespaced slightly above the lip 4, thus forming a slot or opening 15, onefor each compartment, through which the stationery may be withdrawn. Theopenings 15 are of a size to permit only one envelop or one sheet ofpaper being withdrawn therefrom at a time.

The cover plates 13 and 14 are provided at their side edges withinwardly projecting notches 16 through which are adapted to passinwardly extending lugs 17, arranged on the interior of the side walls2, near the upper edge thereof, the lugs 17 being provided with suitableopenings 18 through which extend removable pins 19, the pins 19extending beyond the sides of the lugs 17 and engaging the upper face ofthe plates 13 and 14, thus detachably securing the cover plates overtheir respective compartments.

Each compartment is provided with an adjustable, spring-pressed followerplate for forcing the stationery contained therein toward the top of thecompartment, and outwardly through the openings 15, the plates beingconstructed of two members 20 and 21, the member 20 being provided atone end thereof with a dove-tail groove 20 into which projects adove-tail lug 21, formed on the corresponding end of the plate 21, theplates being held in their adjusted positions by a screw 22 which fitsinto an opening in the lug 21 and is adapted to engage the lower edge ofthe clovetail groove 20. The plates are forced upwardly in thecompartments by suitable sprial springs 23 interposed between theunderside of each adjustable plate and the bottom of the receptacle, theupper ends of the springs-being secured to the underside of each plateby a lug 23, and the lower ends secured to the bottom of each receptacleby a lug 23 The cabinet is provided with a hinged cover 24, which isadapted to display suitable advertisements, and cover the top plates 13and 15 and give a neat appearance to the cabinet. The cover 24 is hingedto the cabinet by lugs 25 which extend horizontally from each sidethereof and are adapted to snugly fit between spaced verticallyextendinglugs 26, which project upwardly from the upper edges of the sides of thecabinet, the lugs 25 and 26 being provided with alined openings 27through which extends a suitable rod 28, the rod being provided on itsends with suitable ornamental screw threaded nuts 29; thus it will beseen that by removing one of the rods that one side of the cover may belifted and the rod on the other side will provide a hinge for the same.The cover, the top plates and the overhanging lips 4 are each providedwith a corresponding finger notch 30 for admitting the fingers to engagethe stationery when it is projected through the opening or slot 15.

The operation of the device is as follows :The adjustable cover and topplates are removed, partitions are placed in the respective slots toadjust the compartments to the proper size for the stationery to beplaced therein, the follower plates are also adjusted to the proper sizeto snugly fit within the compartments; the stationery is now placed inthe compartments, Writing paper in one and envelops in another, and asthe stationery is placed in the compartments, the follower plates areforced downwardly in the compartments against the action of the coiledsprings. After the desired amount of stationery is placed in eachcompartment, the top plates are placed thereover and pinned in position,the cover plate is fastened down and the device is ready for use.

The action of the coiled springs in pushing the stationery upwardly inthe compartments forces the stationery to follow the contour of thecurved partition and end wall, the topmost envelop or sheet of paperbeing forced into the slot at the end ofthe cabinet, in a position to begrasped by the finger, and from this construction it will be readilyseen that the envelops and sheets of paper will be fed into saiddelivery slot, one at a time, until the supply in the com partment isexhausted. When the supply in the respective compartments becomesexhausted, one may be filled independently of the other, as separate topplates are provided for each.

Having thus described my improved in vention what is claimed as new anddesired to be protected by Letters Patent is- In a dispensing cabinetfor stationery, the combination with separate independently adjustablepaper and envelop compartments, said compartments provided with verticalside and end walls, the upper portion of the vertical end walls beingcurved toward the ends of the cabinet, a top plate for each of saidcompartments, openings at the ends of said cabinet between the top plateand the top of one of the curved end walls of said compartments, one ofsaid.

openings communicating with each of said compartments, a cover for saidcabinet, and independently adjustable spring pressed follower platespositioned in said compartments for forcing the stationery c sent asingle sheet of paper or an into said opening for Withdrawal therefrom.

Copies of this patent may be obtained to In testimony whereof I havesigned my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribingWitnesses.

FELIX B. MULGREW.

ontained Witnesses HARRY A. Town,

envelop D. B. RICHARDS.

r five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

